21 August 28 - september 3, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Marky Ramone 8 P.M. THURSDAY, AUG. 28, THE ECHO LOUNGE AND MUSIC HALL, 1323 N. STEMMONS FWY. $23+ AT TICKETMASTER.COM The original core foursome of the Ramones — Joey, Dee Dee, Johnny and Tommy — have long ago passed into legend, with the last of them, Tommy, dying more than a decade ago. But, punk has a way of persisting — spitting, if you will, in the face of mortality — so the band’s ethos endures as a handful of its secondary and tertiary members continue to tour and perform. Is it as pure as seeing the band snarl through a set in CBGBs in 1976? No, but any link to the past, however tenuous, should still be treasured while it’s accessible. Bearing that in mind, Marky Ramone (born Marc Bell) is still holding down a drum kit at 73 years old and has cred insofar as he joined the group in Tommy’s stead back in 1978 and appeared on that year’s Road to Ruin LP. Seize the chance to catch a bona fide punk legend in one of the cozier venues around town. Toxic Madness will open. PRESTON JONES Rob Thomas 7:30 P.M. FRIDAY, AUG. 29, THE PAVILION AT TOYOTA MUSIC FACTORY, 300 W. LAS COLINAS BLVD. $29+ AT TICKETMASTER.COM Singer-songwriter Rob Thomas feels like a van- ishingly rare creature in modern pop music: An artist with as much success in a band as by him- self. Thomas first burst onto the scene in the mid-1990s as the front man for Florida-based Matchbox Twenty and then spun off on his own, racking up awards, sales and honors, most nota- bly as the pipes behind Santana’s “Smooth.” His solo career has slowed a bit over the last de- cade, but Thomas is gearing up again, releasing his sixth LP, All Night Days, on Sept. 5. “As you get older, you realize happiness is earned,” Thomas recently told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s something you have to find, forge and build with the relationships you have, the people you love and the time you spend.” Openers include A Great Big World and The Lucky. PJ Juvenile 8 P.M. SATURDAY, AUG. 30, WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE, 2403 FLORA ST. $101+ AT TICKETS.ATTPAC.ORG The universe has a way of providing that which you never knew you wanted until you were made aware of its existence. To wit: New Orleans rapper Juvenile performing his immortal hits — “Back That Azz Up,” of course, along with “Ha,” “Set It Off” and “Slow Motion” — with the back- ing of a live band performing what’s billed as “symphonic arrangements,” and Mannie Fresh manning the decks inside one of downtown Dal- las’ most sophisticated rooms. Did we mention the black-tie dress code? To quote the press ma- terials: “Formal attire is required — think tuxe- dos, gowns and elegance. It’s a tribute to the culture with class.” This sounds like the ultimate high-low mash-up: A master of twerk-inducing bounce music holding court for an audience decked out in its finest, abandon wrapped up in tasteful restraint. However it ultimately unfolds, this has the potential to be the oddest and per- haps most invigorating concert Dallas sees all year. With Mannie Fresh. PJ Kali Uchis 8 P.M. SATURDAY, AUG. 30, AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER, 2500 VICTORY AVE. $51+ AT TICKETMASTER.COM Virginia native Kali Uchis (born Karly Loaiza) has slowly, steadily built a career as one of R&B’s most forward-thinking, boundary-blurring tal- ents. The singer-songwriter pivoted from her gorgeous Spanish-language album in 2020, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), to reel off a pair of critically acclaimed LPs in 2023 (Red Moon in Venus) and 2024 (Orquideas). Now, she’s back with Sincerely, a psychedelic, bilin- gual soul-pop excursion into what Uchis de- scribes as “the complexities of life.” It’s arresting, lush stuff, and should unfurl like a waking dream inside the American Airlines Center. With Thee Sacred Souls. PJ Jonas Brothers 7:30 P.M. SUNDAY, AUG. 31, DOS EQUIS PAVILION, 3839 S. FITZHUGH. $46+ AT TICKETMASTER.COM Someone far more cynical than your humble correspondent might take a certain glee in the fact that the Jonas Brothers were forced to downsize from stadiums to sheds for this pecu- liar comeback-valedictory-promotional tour. Nostalgia only carries so much weight, it turns out. The JoBros — up to and including Nick, the lone North Texas native in the bunch — have certainly leaned heavily into romanticizing their Disney Channel past over the course of the tour thus far, trotting out Demi Lovato and Jesse Mc- Cartney for cameos like it’s 2008 all over again. The tricky part of being white-hot pop stars in your teens is that it’s difficult to gracefully tran- sition into middle-aged musicians without seeming like you’re desperately trying to keep time’s relentless march at bay. Oh, and there’s a new album: Greetings from Your Hometown. Marshmello, Boys Like Girls and Franklin Jonas will provide support. PJ Mikel Galicia Kali Uchis wrestles with the “complexities of life” on her latest album. | LET’S DO THIS | t Music D BEST OF DALLAS ON STANDS SEPTEMBER 18 2025 ® READER'S CHOICE IS LIVE! LAST CHANCE TO VOTE VOTING ENDS SEPTEMBER 3 SCAN TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES NOW
